


Deciphering a Map

by Sasam



Category: DCU, DCU (Comics), Gotham Academy (Comics)
Genre: F/F, Post-Canon, Well Post-Canon for the Gotham Academy Comics not overall Gotham Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-21
Updated: 2019-02-21
Packaged: 2019-11-01 15:34:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17869934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sasam/pseuds/Sasam
Summary: Maps keeps asking Olive to spend break with the Mizoguchi family like she used too. Olive doesn't know how to explain that it would be weird with her and Kyle broken up.





	Deciphering a Map

**Author's Note:**

> Not the happiest with this but I'm happy enough and just happy that there's some Olive/Maps content out there now. It's such a good ship and totally under represented. I'll hopefully be making some more in the nearish future.

Olive groaned and rolled over in her bed. She lay alone in her dorm, having still not received a new roommate. Though Olive would never admit it to Maps she was kind of glad in this moment that her transfer request had yet to go through. While she had skipped a grade after the first semester and was to be moved into the second year dorms the school decided they would wait until Katherine had a new replacement roommate before moving Maps. It wasn’t that Olive didn’t want to room with Maps, she was her best friend and she knew Maps was ecstatic about the eventual arrangement. Right now however Maps was also a little too excited about the upcoming break and it lead to some awkward conversations.

Staring at the crack of light breaking through the drawn curtains to lay splayed across the floor the dust floating visibly in the evening glow, Olive decided that cooping herself up wouldn’t help and that she should probably talk to someone. Colton would be a bad idea since it involved his crush, which of course ruled out Kyle as well. This left only Pomeline, though Olive was still a little hesitant to talk to her about relationship stuff with all the Heathcliff stuff going on. Still she found herself at the other girls dorm room door.

“Olive?” Pomeline answered her door with a frown. “Is everything okay?”

“Hey, uh. Can we talk about something?”

Pomeline poked her head out of the room and looked back up and down the hallway. Quickly checking that no one was in earshot before grabbing Olive’s hands and dragging her into the room.

“Is this about the, you know. Whole Amity thing and our families? Because I organized a list of information about that for you if you want it.”

“Oh uh, thanks that’s actually great but not what I came for.”

Pomeline’s eyebrow quirked.

“Is this about Maps?”

Olive sheepishly rubbed the back of head quickly finding herself more interest in Pomeline’s decor than in the question. While it was what she wanted to talk about, having it guessed so plainly was awkward. If Pomeline knew something was up then Maps probably did as well and Olive didn’t want to think about that right now.

“Yea, I uhh. I wanted to ask for your advice.”

“I figured. You know she just came and asked about the same thing.”

“Wait really?”

Olive’s attention shot back to Pomeline now seated on the edge of her bed. Following her beckons Olive plopped down beside her, quickly sinking into the far too soft bed causing her to lose her balance and topple over backwards.

“Jeez how did you get this thing? This is definitely not school regulation.”

“My mom.”

Pomeline replied briskly ,attempting to change the subject quickly while simultaneously trying to help Olive back up. While she didn’t have problems with her mother or her authority and pull around the school she still didn’t want to bring parents up to much around Olive. Not at least, if that wasn’t why she had come by.

“So I know Maps’ side of the story, what’s up with you though.”

“I just. Maps keeps asking me to stay at the Mizoguchi household over the break but, I haven’t been there since me and Kyle broke up and it’s just. Weird you know? Like it feels like she’s acting like we’re still together almost the way she’s so adamant about it. I feel awful constantly turning her down, I can see the hurt every time. But I’m not with Kyle anymore. You know?”

Olive and Pomeline sat in silence for a while, Olive nervously glancing at the other girl while she seemed to just sit there thinking. Finally it seemed like she’d decided on something.

“I think you need to talk to Maps.”

“Duh.”

Olive rolled her eyes at the obvious answer. Clearly she planned on that but the problem was she didn’t know how too.

“No, I mean. Uhg. You two need to like, speak to each other more clearly. Like sit her down explain how you see this and then ask her to explain her intentions and everything. Just jumping to conclusions or assuming your interpretation of her actions can be unhealthy. It’s easy to slowly let stuff like that ruin a friendship, the most important thing to do in situations like these is to enforce communication. Literally nothing is more important in any type of relationship.”

Pomeline punctuated the end of her small rant by pulling Olive back off the bed and marching her towards the door.

“Wait, you said Maps said something to you. Are you saying this because I’m wrong?”

“I’m saying this, Olive Silverlock.” Pomeline shoved Olive out into the hall. “Because you need to have a proper heart to heart with your best friend. Now go, the Mizoguchi’s leave tomorrow and you’re not going to get another moment alone with her once Colton wrangles up his surprise party.”

“Colton is throwing a surprise party?”

“Uhhh. Well I guess just a regular party now. You didn’t hear it from me though.”

Just like that Olive was alone in the hall again, and with nothing else to prolong the delay she was headed down to the first year dorms and to Map’s room. As she drew nearer the room she ran into Kyle and Katherine standing just at the entrance to the first year wing.

“I’ll leave you two alone. And don’t worry there’s none of me left in the room to eavesdrop.”

Katherine beat a hasty retreat down towards the dining hall. While she had gotten a lot less shy over the year and warmed up with the Detective Club she still wasn’t too great with other people. She did have an uncanny ability to tell when something was going to turn awkward however and used that sense to great ability, avoiding much of the school’s drama and mischief.

“Olive.”

God she did not want to have to talk to Kyle right now. Literally anyone but Kyle. Maybe he’d just exchange some small talk and she could be on her way.

“We need to talk.”

Okay that hope was bust.

“Is this about Maps? Because I’m on my way to go talk to her right now.”

Kyle actually seemed surprised at that, though Olive couldn’t blame him after her previous actions. When her mother had passed and she had first broken up with Kyle she’d been a piece of shit. Essentially ghosting him and his sister all summer then being unable to decisively cut him off. She knew she needed to be better than that and she was working at it, coming to terms with everything that had happened and the fact that she was on again off again possessed by a vengeful spirit seemed to help. Surprisingly so too did letting go of her grudge against Bruce Wayne for his “handouts” as she’d seen them earlier. Who knew learning to accept help could feel so liberating.

“Well if you’re actually going to talk to her then I guess we don’t need to. Just remember what I told you before. You’re free to break my heart, just don’t break Mia’s. Do what you have to but be gentle.”

“Uhh, yea. Sure. I remember”

“Good. I’ll let you get going, I’ve got practice anyways.”

It was only a short conversation, but it left Olive drained. Of course she would do her best not to hurt Maps. She never wanted to hurt any of her friends ever again… but she still wasn’t sure if she was a good enough person to do that. She had to try for Maps though, she owed her that after everything they’d been through.

Knocking on her door it only took a moment for Maps to answer, rubbing one hand at her puffy red eyes.

“Kyle, I really don’t want to tal-ive?!”

Maps jumped in surprise when she saw who it was and quickly tried to hide behind her partly open door.

“Hey Maps, are you okay? I can come back.”

“No no no! I’m fine!”

Maps tried her best to sound cheery and cover the fact she had just been crying but her throat hitched partway through and she gave up.

“Come in.”

Olive followed Maps into her small room, noting the lack of lights. It appeared that Maps and Olive had decided to spend most of that afternoon the same way, locked up and in the dark. While not too out of character for Olive is was a tad too broody for Maps.

“Have you been avoiding me?”

The bluntness of the question made Olive jolt.

“No! I mean, maybe a tiny bit. That’s why I’m here though. I wanted to apologize for avoiding you these past days, and I wanted to try to explain better why I can’t be with you this summer. It’s just, too awkward after everything with Kyle. You know?”

“Yea, I guess it would be weird dating your ex-boyfriends little sister. It’s not like he’d be there though now that he’s dating Colton.”

Olive gaped, having almost not caught what Maps had said while she sulked on her bed.

“Wait. What?”

“Yea, Colton finally asked him out yesterday. So it looks like it’ll be just me alone for the break.”

“You were asking me out?”

“I. Yes? Wait, what did you think I was doing?”

Maps was staring at her now, confused yet suddenly inquisitive. Like the look she got whenever there was a mystery to solve but not quite the same.

“I thought you were trying to get me and Kyle back together.”

Maps burst into laughter. Olive sighed a tiny bit at seeing her not so upset before remembering again what she had said.

“So.”

Olive started but paused unsure how to continue. Maps finally managed to get her laugh attack under control and quickly took over for her.  


“So. I guess I should try it again properly this time?”

She waited for some kind of reaction from Olive but she just sat patiently, not betraying any hint of what she might be thinking. Stupid hot sort of goth impassive and impossible to read face she sighed. It was now or never and she had one last shot. So Maps summoned her courage.

“Olive. Will you go out with me? And visit our house for the holidays like you used too?”

“Maps. Mia.”

Oh no. She called her Mia. No one but her brother called her Mia unless she was in trouble. While she loved the sound of her voice on Olive’s lips she didn’t like the accompanying tinge of worry and disappointment it carried. It was over, her heart sank.  


“I’ve only ever dated Kyle before, and I don’t even know if I really liked him that way. I can’t promise you I can like you that way either. I’ve never thought of it before. I’m not sure if I swing that way, or any way.”

God Maps hadn’t even considered that she was straight.

“But.”

But?

“I’d be willing to try. Maybe see how it goes? As long as it won't hurt our friendship if it doesn’t work out.”

She finished running her hand through her hair clearly somewhat uncomfortable.

Maps stared dumbfounded unable to process what she had just said. Olive was actually willing to try dating her? It was honestly the best day of her life, even better than when she got to hang out with Robin! Unable to form a response, gaping like a fish out of water as her brain short circuited.

“Uh Maps, are you okay?”

Olive worriedly broke the silence.

“YES!” Maps cringed at her own volume. “I mean yes, yes. I am soooooo okay. I’m amazing. I’m wonderful. I’m floating. I’m gay, oh god I am so very very gay.”

Unable to stop herself Maps fell into her old babble habit. She had mostly managed to curb it except when talking about Serpents & Spells or mystery adventures or Robin or crime fighting. Okay she hadn’t curbed it at all but suddenly she really wished she had because the more she said the more embarrassing both her and her dialogue became. Olive seemed to realize the problem and saved them both from any more, though if you asked Olive later she wouldn’t have minded maybe going just a tiny bit longer. It turns out a flustered Maps is an extremely cute Maps.

“Hey, Maps, when did you realize you liked me?”

The reply was instant.

“Honestly right after Riko was arrested. I couldn’t figure out why I was so annoyed about her moving in with you and then it hit me. Duh.”

“That long?”

“Yea. I’m almost as bad as Colton aren’t I?”

The two laughed it out for a bit before Maps nervously swallowed and asked.

“Hey, uhh. Can you call me Mia? I know it’s weird I was so adamant about being Maps but. Kyle calls me it and I guess it’s just become something I don’t mind people close to me calling me and I wouldn’t mind if you did if you maybe would want too.”

“Sure.” 

Olive smiled warmly reaching out and taking Mia’s hands in her own. Mia pretty much melted as her girlfriends toasty warm hands enveloped hers and began rubbing circles absently across their backs.

“Just, please don’t call me Tallive.”

Even the way Olive laughed seemed warm and comforting. Oh yes, Mia was very very gay for this girl. Gay and happy and warm and in a relationship with her. While Olive may not have all her own feelings figured out yet at the time she was happy and content. Spring break and the semester to come would be the best yet.


End file.
